"There are no small parts, only small actors." - Constantin Stanislavski
Anyone who has attended one of my performances knows that almost immediately afterward I do this "So-how-was-the-show?-Did-you-enjoy-the-show?-How-was-I-in-the-show?" thing. With BEIRUT, however, I wasn't comfortable asking my usual barrage of questions, as my time on stage as the Guard was short, relative to the overall length of the production.
Yes, my ego at its worst.
As I would attempt to steer any post-performance talk to a "How-were-the-leads-in-the-show?" conversation (Paul Bomba and Veronique Ory were terrific, truth be told), some patrons spoke to the important function of my character and how I did a great job in playing the role with an honesty that helped propel the story forward. These collective compliments served as an "a-ha lesson" that I must be mindful of in my preparation: It's not about me... it's about the work.
In the weeks leading up to my first performance in BEIRUT, actor and friend Robin Madel reminded me of Adriane Lenox's 2005 Tony Award-winning performance in Doubt: A Parable. (Viola Davis would earn a 2009 Oscar-nomination for her performance in the film adaptation.) In both stage and film productions, the character of Mrs. Muller (stage)/Mrs. Miller (film) appears for about ten minutes. However, the manner in which Ms. Lenox and Ms. Davis address the problem faced by their character - grounded in that character's truth - result in powerful, memorable performances, that propel the story - and its main characters - forward.
Simply stated, Mrs. Muller/Mrs. Miller was as essential to the telling of DOUBT, as the Guard was essential to the telling of BEIRUT.
Audiences deserve to see a great performances from all actors in a production -- whether their roles be "big" or "small". I remain committed to honoring the words of the writer and the characters they have created, by helping my character resolve their problem within their truth.
After all, each character has been written to serve a specific function/purpose, right?
As I continue to do the work, tell the story, and keep it grounded and honest, audiences will show their appreciation in the form of attendance at my future projects.
- Russell
P.S. If you attended BEIRUT, you are invited to leave a comment about the show here.
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